EP0271164B1 - Tool for manufacturing a circuit pattern of an electrical circuit board by cutting of a copper plate and the circuit pattern of an electric circuit board which is suitable for work with the tool - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a tool for producing a circuit pattern of an electrical circuit board with cable and ground cables and connection points for components according to a predetermined layout by cutting a copper plate with the help of tool stamps and the stamp associated holding down along the edges of the trains and connection points and Circuit pattern of an electrical circuit board that is suitable for machining using the tool.

It is known from DE-OS 23 05 883 an electrical circuit board in which cable runs and connection points for components are made by cutting a copper plate and injecting the circuit pattern into plastic. The tools suitable for cutting are not described here.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tool for cutting a copper plate in accordance with the given layout of an electrical circuit board, which is flexible and in which the cutting tools themselves do not have to be specially tailored to the circuit pattern.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

With such a tool, neither stamp nor hold-down device are exchanged when changing over to another circuit pattern. It is therefore not necessary to produce special matrices and hold-down devices. The respective cut pattern is specified by the program boards, which have large tolerances can be executed afflicted, since the program plates have no self-tapping edges, rather only exert pressure on the individual punches and hold-down devices.

It is known per se (DE-OS 31 09 862) to replace punches in the crosses of a matrix pattern with one another in order to offset the punches for other perforation patterns.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the height or depth of the circuit patterns in the program plates predominantly correspond to approximately half the thickness of the copper plate. With such dimensions of the heights and depths it is ensured that there is still a sufficiently firm cohesion between the individual line and ground cables as well as connection points for components after completed cutting, so that a copper plate cut in this way can then be safely introduced into an injection mold.

According to a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that the stamp and hold-down surfaces are square. Such a square design gives more freedom for the design of the circuit pattern.

According to a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that several such individual tools are combined to form a complete tool. As a result, the outer dimensions of the respective circuit board to be produced can be designed according to the requirements.

A circuit pattern for the tool must be based on the design options of the tool. Accordingly, according to a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that all conductor shapes of the pattern and all intermediate areas between them in the matrix pattern are composed of partial areas which correspond to the stamp and hold-down areas. In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the connection points for components are constructed from a plurality of stamp and hold-down surfaces combined to form a group, and the cable and ground cables are constructed from stamp and hold-down surfaces which are lined up in a row. Such a structure is easily possible and also useful.

• Fig. 1 Stempel- und Niederhalter-Einheiten eines Schneidwerkzeuges, bestehend aus vielen im Matrixraster angeordneten Einzelstempeln bzw. Einzel-Niederhaltern, zum Schneiden von Kupferplatten entsprechend vorgegebenen elektrischen Schaltungszugmustern,
• Fig. 2 eine Programmplatte für das Werkzeug in Ansicht von der Schaltungsmusterseite her,
• Fig. 2a die Verteilung verschiedener Programmebenen auf der Schaltungsmusterseite nach Fig. 2,
• Fig. 3 eine Programmplatte für die Niederhalterseite des Werkzeuges von der Schaltungsmusterseite her,
• Fig. 3a die Verteilung verschiedener Programmebenen auf der Schaltungsmusterseite nach Fig. 3,
• Fig. 4 das Werkzeug mit Stempeln, Niederhaltern, zwei Programmplatten und einer Kupferplatte als Werkstück vor dem Schneidvorgang im auseinandergerückten Zustand,
• Fig. 5 das Werkzeug nach Fig. 4 nach dem Schneiden der Kupferplatte im zusammengefahrenen Zustand,
• Fig. 6 ein Schaltungsmuster, das mit Hilfe des Werkzeuges nach den Fig. 1 bis 5 aus einer Kupferplatte schneidbar ist.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing. Show it:

• 1 stamp and hold-down units of a cutting tool, consisting of many individual punches or hold-down devices arranged in the matrix grid, for cutting copper plates according to predetermined electrical circuit tension patterns,
• 2 is a program plate for the tool in view from the circuit pattern side,
• 2a shows the distribution of different program levels on the circuit pattern side according to FIG. 2,
• 3 shows a program plate for the hold-down side of the tool from the circuit pattern side,
• 3a shows the distribution of different program levels on the circuit pattern side according to FIG. 3,
• 4 shows the tool with stamps, hold-down devices, two program plates and a copper plate as a workpiece before the cutting process in the disassembled state,
• 5 shows the tool according to FIG. 4 after cutting the copper plate in the retracted state,
• Fig. 6 is a circuit pattern that can be cut from a copper plate using the tool of FIGS. 1 to 5.

1 shows a stamp 1 and a hold-down device 3 of a tool for cutting a circuit pattern of an electrical circuit board. The stamp 1 and the hold-down device 3 consist of a multiplicity of individual stamps 1 a and single hold-down devices 3 a with the same square stamp surfaces 1 b and hold-down surfaces 3 b. The stamp surfaces 1b and the hold-down surfaces 3b of the individual stamps 1a and individual hold-downs 3b lie side by side in a matrix pattern, each individual stamp 1a being aligned with a single hold-down element 3a. The plunger 1 and hold-down device 3 shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 are guided in a tool frame which is not shown for simplicity and clarity.

The stamp 1 and the hold-down device 3 are actuated by program plates 4 and 6, which are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 from their programming side 5, 7. On the programming side, the program plates 4, 6 are provided in relief with three program levels, which result from the circuit pattern shown in FIG. 2. The level 2.1 is kept white, the level 2.2 is dotted and the level 2.3 is hatched (FIG. 2a). The same applies to program board 3, in which, this time the other way round, level 3.1 is hatched, level 3.2 is dotted and level 3.3 is white. Accordingly, there is a circuit pattern relief on the program side 5 of the program plate 4 as well as on the program side 7 of the program plate 6. This circuit pattern relief is predominantly positively protruding in the program plate 4 for the stamps 1 and predominantly negatively embedded in the program plate 6 for the hold-down devices 3; both program pages are mirror images of each other. The edges 10 of the circuit pattern or the relief are preferably somewhat withdrawn or chamfered so that the mutual movement of the individual stamps or individual hold-downs is not impaired. It is only important when designing the program pages that the individual stamps or individual hold-down devices are securely loaded.

4 and 5 show the program plates 4 and 6 in section along the line IV-IV according to FIGS. 2 and 3, the three program levels 2.1 to 2.3 and 3.1 to 3.3 being recognizable in each case.

4 and 5, the operation of the tool will now be shown. All punches 1 a are located at a uniform height in a tool holder (not shown), the punch surfaces 1 b facing a (nickel-plated) copper plate 8. The program plate 4 according to FIG. 2 with its program side 5 is arranged on the side of the stamp 1a remote from the stamp surfaces 1b. This program plate 4 is movable against the stamp 1. The hold-downs 3a lie with their cutting surfaces 3b on the (nickel-plated) copper plate 8 on the other side. The hold-down devices 3a are also guided in a tool holder, not shown. The program plate 6 according to FIG.

After this work preparation by inserting the copper plate 8 and placing the program plates 4 and 6 on it, the prepared work processes are completed before the copper plate 8 is cut. 5 shows, the program plates 4 and 6 are then moved towards each other in the direction of the arrows 9, the punches 1 and the hold-down devices 3 being displaced due to the mirror-image formation of the program areas 5 and 7. The copper plate 8 is cut into plate parts 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4. If the height relationships of the circuit pattern relief are kept in such a way that they do not exceed half the thickness of the copper plate in most places, then the copper plate remains after the cutting as well, even if the structure is dissolved plate. The stripping after cutting is done by a flat "program plate" on both sides.

FIG. 6 shows a circuit pattern which is particularly suitable for the tool with the matrix grid of the punches and hold-down devices. The circuit pattern according to FIG. 6 consists of conductor tracks 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, etc., which are only shown as examples. The cable runs are expanded at their ends with openings 20 to form solder connection points 21. In the illustration according to FIG. 6, some conductor tracks abut one another edge by edge. This is possible because after the copper plate 8 has been cut, this dissolved copper plate is introduced into an injection mold. In the cavity of the injection mold, not shown, the cable runs are pressed into different planes by means of pins of the tool, not shown. These different levels are further apart than levels 2.1 to 2.3 or 3.1 to 3.3 of the circuit pattern relief on program pages 5 and 7 of program plates 4 and 6. The cable runs that are later pressed into the different levels, which can also be mass-leading, become complete when spraying Plastic embedded. Only the connection points for components and, for example, connection lugs 22, which can be brought out for contacting, remain free.

Not all trains of the circuit pattern are required to carry the current. The cable runs that are not required can be used for heat dissipation and stiffening.

The principle of the circuit pattern according to FIG. 6 can be seen in the fact that the individual cable runs are formed from individual stamp or hold-down surfaces which are arranged in a row. The cable run 18 is taken as an example. This is formed from partial surfaces 3c of the hold-down devices 3a, which are dashed at an angle in FIG. 1. In the case of the stamps, the corresponding stamp surfaces 1c are indicated with asterisks, provided that the edges 24a and 24b are guided parallel to one another, as are the edges 25a and 25b. On the basis of the cable line 18 in FIG. 6 in conjunction with FIG. 1, it can be seen that the cable line itself is formed from a series of square stamp or hold-down surfaces 1b and 3b. The connection point 27 is formed from square stamp or hold-down surfaces combined into a group.

In Fig. 6, the part of the circuit pattern which is found in the tool according to Figs. 1 to 5 is outlined in thick dash lines. In order to arrive at the overall circuit board, several such tools are used side by side.

Claims (7)

1. A tool for manufacturing a circuit pattern of an electrical circuit board having conductor and mass tracks as well as connection areas for components according to a given layout through cutting of a copper plate by means of punches and dies associated with the punches along the edges of the tracks and connection areas, with the following characteristics:

   - the tool parts positioned on either side of the copper plate (8) entirely consist of individual punches (1a) and adjustable individual dies (3a) provided with consecutively arranged punch and die surfaces (1b, 3b) of uniformly rectangular cross-section and are arranged next to one another in a matrix raster,

   - program plates (4, 6) are arranged at the punch and die ends facing away from the copper plate (8),

   - the program plates (4, 6) have circuit pattern reliefs (5, 7) arranged as mirrored images relative to the punches (1) and dies (3), respectively, so that, when the program plates (4, 6) are pressed against each other, the copper plate (8) is cut between the moving punches (1) and the dies (3) in accordance with the relief (5, 7).
2. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the respective heights and depths of the circuit patterns in the program plates (4, 6) substantially correspond to half the thickness of the copper plate (8).
3. A tool as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the surfaces of punches (1b) and dies (3b) are of square shape.
4. A tool as claimed in Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that several of such individual tools are combined into an integrated tool.
5. A circuit pattern for a tool as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that all the conductor shapes (11 to 18) of the pattern and all the intermediate areas between them in the matrix pattern are composed of subsurfaces corresponding to the surfaces of the punches (1b) and dies (3b).
6. A circuit pattern as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the connection points (21) for components are composed of several surfaces of punches and dies combined into a group.
7. A circuit pattern as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the conductor and mass tracks (11 to 18) are composed of consecutively arranged punch (1b) and die (3b) surfaces.

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